Metamorphosis of a Miko
by Serena530
Summary: One night Kagome comes to a number of disturbing realizations about Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru comes across her during her thought process.


**Disclaimer****: I do not own Inuyasha or his characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

**Author Note****: Not a song fic despite the use of lyrics. It just happened to be the song I was listening to when I first imagined this scene and decided to incorporate it. The song is **_**One Last Cry**_** By: Brian McKnight and I do not own it in any form or fashion.**

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><p><strong>Metamorphosis of a Miko<br>**_Phase One: A Melody and Revelations_

A tall commanding figure dressed in white silk paused his silent steps as his sensitive ears picked up an unfamiliar melody.

_My shattered dreams and broken heart  
><em>_Are mending on the shelf  
><em>_I saw you holding hands  
><em>_Standing close to someone else  
><em>_Now I sit all alone  
><em>_Wishing all my feeling was gone_

_What is this?_ He questioned as he listened to the male voice. He could not understand the language but the melody beneath it was what caught his attention. It was soothing yet melancholy all at once.

_I gave my best to you, nothing for me to do  
><em>_But have one last cry_

Knee-length moonlight hair swayed as he turned his head toward the direction the melody came from.

Half lidded golden eyes narrowed. It was coming from the forest named after the half-breed.

_One last cry, before I leave it all behind  
><em>_I've gotta put you outta my mind this time  
><em>_Stop living a lie  
><em>_I guess I'm down to my last cry, cry_

Still, he began to move. Silent feet carrying him closer and closer to the source of the melody. Soon he began to hear a whispered female voice singing along. The female obviously knew the language since they sang along confidently without hesitation.

A delicate sniff and the figure gave an internal sneer. He could not for the life of him understand how the half-breed could rut with the dead. Especially when it appeared he had a live and breathing female willing to mate him.

Still, he had no wish to actually see the half-breed in the act, so he angled his path to take him around his oblivious half-brother.

_I was here, you were there  
><em>_Guess we never could agree  
><em>_While the sun shines on you  
><em>_I need some love to rain on me  
><em>_Still I sit all alone  
><em>_Wishing all my feeling was gone_

Eventually he began to realize the melody was leading him to the clearing housing the bone eaters well. He had also realized who the whispering female was. He had caught her sent at the same time he did the half-breed and dead one. He wondered briefly what she was doing out so late but wasn't sure if he really cared.

_Gotta get over you, nothing for me to do  
><em>_But have one last cry_

Sesshomaru stopped just outside the tree line and stared at the priestess. She sat in the grass leaning against the well, her eyes trained on the night sky. She wore clothes as strange as what he was used to seeing her in, only this time they covered her up. The melody that drew him seemed to be coming from strange white lines coming from her ears.

However, her whispered voice was louder now that he was so close, and he could admit to himself that she was good. Her soft voice flowed along perfectly with the melody and the male voice.

_One last cry, before I leave it all behind  
><em>_I've gotta put you outta my mind this time  
><em>_Stop living a lie  
><em>_I know I've gotta be strong  
><em>'_Cause round me life goes on and on and on  
><em>_And on_

His beast lifted its head, curious ears perked up at the emotion coming through the soft voice and mixing seamlessly with the melody.

Sesshomaru frowned at it but continued to listen to the young priestess.

_I'm gonna dry my eyes  
><em>_Right after I had my one last cry  
><em>_One last cry, before I leave it all behind  
><em>_I've gotta put you outta my mind for the very last time  
><em>_Been living a lie  
><em>_I guess I'm down  
><em>_I guess I'm down  
><em>_I guess I'm down to my last cry_

His beast released a sighing breath and they both wished they could understand the words. Luckily for them she appeared to sing in the language they understood as the melody began again.

****MoaM****

Blue eyes continued to gaze up at the stars as her quiet voice trailed off with the end of the song. She sighed as the song began again, having been put on repeat, and shook her head. She knew she couldn't keep putting her thoughts off. It was why she had come to this side of the well. To think while surrounded by nature.

Kagome had been having trouble getting to sleep. She attributed it to listening to the sounds of the city instead of nature, so she had tried to tune it out and blank her mind. She succeeded but it wasn't for long. Within moments unsettling thoughts began to flow through her mind. Things that hadn't occurred to her before, things that she hadn't been able to see clearly, things she hadn't really taken notice of. They were all suddenly coming to her and it was overwhelming.

Suddenly she noticed there was a white blur at the edge of her vision. She lowered her eyes to find the glowing figure of Lord Sesshomaru, Demon Lord of the West. She didn't know if she should be scared or not. On the other hand, she had no idea how long he had been there and if he had been there for any length of time it was clear he didn't mean her any harm or he would have already acted.

_Maybe I haven't been able to see him clearly either._ She thought as she pulled one of her earphones from her ear.

"Would you like to join me my lord?" She asked courteously in a quiet voice, knowing he would hear her.

They stared at each other for long moments, silent but for the music playing on her iPod.

Kagome didn't think he would come but she decided to be patient and not react until he did. Her patience was paid off by the Inu Lord moving toward her. She forced herself to keep breathing as he sat next to her on the lip of the well. She swore she could feel the silk of his hakama pants but knew it was just her imagination so she focused back on the night sky.

They sat in silence for a while, both listening to the music. Kagome was unable to continue singing. Not with the demon lord sitting next to her. She just didn't have the confidence to sing in front of an audience. Even if it was only an audience of one.

Not singing however, made Kagome focus on her thoughts. She frowned as they flooded her mind, demanding to be heard and recognized.

"Have things ever come to your mind suddenly? Things that you most likely should have seen and noticed but didn't?" Kagome asked the silent demon. She doubted something like this would have happened to him but she wanted to see if she could get his opinion and she needed to start somehow.

"That happened to me tonight. I was trying to sleep but I was having trouble because of all the sounds. I tried to blank my mind and tune out the noise and that seemed to work, but then all these thoughts started coming to me. That's why I'm here so late. To try and sort through it all and figure out what to do." She explained, not worried about the reference to being there so late. He already knew where she was from since she had told him because of all the things she had been bringing for Rin.

"It would be funny, you know, all the things I hadn't noticed if it wasn't so sad and disturbing." She said after a time of silence. "Like the fact that Sango and Miroku haven't taught me how to defend myself in all the time I've known them. Miroku is a powerful monk in his own right so really, how hard could it be to take a few hours out of the day to teach me what he could when we're traveling?" She stated.

"And Sango? She's a demon slayer. She knows hand to hand combat as well as how to use a sword. Why couldn't she teach me? I would love to know how to defend myself with something other than a bow and arrows, and even with _that_ I've never been able to practice. Everything I've learned with a bow and arrows and even with my powers has been in the heat of battle!" She said in frustration as she stopped the song that was playing on her iPod and took the remaining earphone from her ear.

"Then there's Inuyasha. When I know we're going to be in the village for any length of time I ask Keade to teach me what she knows about being a miko, but it's like as soon as he finds out he's instantly rushing us back out to look for jewel shards. Never mind the fact that we've only been in the village for a day and were supposed to be there for a week. It's like he and the others don't want to me to know how to defend myself." She said in disbelief.

"I've also come to realize that I have absolutely no idea why I like him so much. I mean what is it about him that I'm supposed to love so much? His ears?! It's certainly not the way he treats me. Always calling me something derogatory instead of my name. Telling me I'm stupid, useless, weak, and always comparing me to Kikyou. Telling me she was stronger, she knew how to use her powers, she was better with the bow and arrows, smarter, prettier, never complained, could defend herself, she would never have gotten herself captured. On and on it went." She said quietly as she picked at the grass in front of her.

"I may be her reincarnation but I'm _not_ her and I refuse to _be_ her or his backup plan when she dies again. In fact, it's ridiculous that she's only 'alive' because she's got a piece of my soul. Do you have _any_ idea what it's like to be missing a piece of your soul?! It's painful! That's what it is, especially when the piece is close to you!" She said with an angry frown as she finally gave in and rubbed her chest where the ache was.

"I've never told anyone this but when she's close, like she is now, she always pulls on my soul, trying to take it. The others always assumed that I'm sad because Inuyasha runs off to see her when she's close, and I'll admit that I usually am but for the most part it's the pain their seeing. It's horrendous!" She said sadly.

"And there's nothing I can do about it because I'm not strong enough to face her." She added just as sadly. "A part of me thinks that's why he doesn't want me to learn how to defend myself, so I can't take back that piece of my soul." She said suspiciously. "That and so I would always have to rely on him to protect me, but that doesn't explain why Sango and Miroku won't teach me." She said, continuing to let her thoughts out to the silent demon.

"Maybe he told them not to, but that would be just as bad as if they had decided on their own. Why would they even listen to him if he did tell them not to? They should be able to think for themselves, especially when they know right from wrong! They _know_ how dangerous it is out there and for them not to teach me just shows how honor less they are, and that they're not the friends I thought they were." She concluded with a small shake of her head.

"Another thing I've realized is how much he fights with me when I need to go home." She said thoughtfully. "I don't usually mention it unless we're running out of supplies, if I have tests to take, or if it's been so long that my family might think I'm dead. I shouldn't have to have fights and long arguments with him just to go home, and I shouldn't have to stress over him coming to drag me back here before I'm ready."

"And my mother sees all this! She sees how stressed out I am when I come home, and she sees how he treats me and speaks to me when he comes to get me. I can tell by the look on her face that she doesn't like it, but she knows there's nothing she can do about it. Still, the _least_ he could do is not complain when I go home, seeing as how my mother is graciously allowing her only daughter to travel to a past she _knows_ is dangerous. Regardless of what it would mean for my time _and_ the past to leave the jewel unattended, she could very well have forbidden me from coming here."

"It's like he doesn't understand…no that's not it. He does understand. He just doesn't care what anyone else thinks or that I have responsibilities on the other side of the well. He may not care to think about what will happen after Naraku is defeated and the jewel wished away but I do. We don't know if I'll stay here or be sent back to my own time. What I'm worried about is if I'm sent back. That's why I'm trying to keep up with my studies. You need an education in order to succeed in my time. It's already hard enough to keep up with my studies when I'm spending all my time here instead of at home learning the different subjects every day like I'm supposed to. He makes it even harder to study here when I have time or when I have to go to my time and show that I understand the material." She complained.

"And now with these revelations I'm going through tonight I wonder what will happen if I end up staying in this time. The fact that my so called friends won't teach me how to defend myself is a major concern. Even with Naraku and the jewel gone there would still be low level demons who would want to eat me or kill me just for the hell of it, and I have no wish to be kidnapped and raped by human bandits just because I felt the need to walk alone from one village to the next! And the fact that Inuyasha won't stay in the village long enough for me to learn how to be a miko is concerning as well. Being a miko is the only thing I would have to support myself since I don't plan on being lazy and letting others take care of me." She said fiercely.

Kagome sighed. Most of her revelations had to do with Inuyasha. She wondered why they were all coming now. Why not before? Maybe because her feelings for him were blinding her. But did that mean she was getting over him or maybe a part of her realized that she had never really loved him.

_Could that be it? I __was__ only 15 when I was pulled down the well. He was the first guy that I had spent so much time around, and I suppose being saved all the time by a cute half demon would be romantic to a 15 year old._ She guessed uncertainly.

_But I'm not 15 anymore and I'm tired of putting up with his immaturity and indecisiveness. I deserve better then the constant verbal and emotional abuse he gives me!_ She thought with a frown, suddenly realizing that she really _didn't_ love him.

She couldn't love someone who treated her the way he did; who only cared about her because she could detect the jewel shards. Someone who was willing to let her walk around with a piece of her soul missing so they could have their dead love around. Someone who didn't want her to know how to defend herself, who was possessive around other males who were interested in her but didn't want her for himself.

For so long, since almost the beginning, she had constantly made excuses for him and the way he treated her. 'He doesn't mean it', 'he's under a lot of pressure', 'it's because of the way he grew up', 'he's never had a friend before', 'he's confused', 'he loved her first', 'he doesn't want to hurt me by choosing', etc. She was tired of it, all the excuses, and refused to continue to defend him.

"Why do you not leave the half-breed then?" Sesshomaru asked, curiously, speaking for the first time since entering the clearing.

"I would really like to but I can't. I'm nowhere near strong enough to go off on my own. I think I've established quite clearly that I don't know how to defend myself, and I definitely wouldn't be able to go up against anyone who possessed a jewel shard. The jewel is my responsibility after all, no matter what Inuyasha may think. He was only looking for them because he wanted to be a full demon. That and to keep them from Naraku, so it's really only me that needs to hunt jewel shards. I just don't have the means to do it on my own." She explained quietly.

The quiet demon lord took in the solemn miko's explanation as he gazed up into the night sky.

She was sight. She couldn't defend herself if she went off on her own. He knew she had the raw power but she didn't have the training to use it. The fact that the sacred jewel was her responsibility also explained why she just didn't go back to her time and stay there. She needed to put the jewel back together and she couldn't do that without training or someone to fight for her.

He could do both. She could travel with him and he could train her and fight for her. Her singing had drawn the curiosity of his beast and Sesshomaru himself had always had a certain fascination with the miko. At first it was because she had survived a very up close encounter with his poisonous acid, and then it had been because of her loyalty. He had been highly curious of the reason someone so loyal would give her affections to one so undeserving as the half-breed.

He had betrayed her with the dirt miko again and again, and she knew this. He himself had come across the hanyou and the dead one multiple times. He hadn't been able to understand why she would give her loyalty to someone who refused to give it in return.

Over time he had learned that she had some intelligence, was kind, unprejudiced, and was very powerful. He had never really had a conversation with her but she had said a great deal this night, which revealed that she was very intelligent. She had an education although from what she imparted it was incomplete and being hampered by her time in this era. As for her power, she didn't seem to believe that she was powerful which he knew was due to the half-breed's constant utterances of her weakness and her lack of training.

He could change that. She was worthy of his time. She had honor which most humans and youkai lacked. She had proved time and time again that she was loyal, which was something inu prized. And she was intelligent. Something females were not in this era. She was, indeed, worthy of a place in his pack.

_Yes. Now that the half-breed no longer has a strangle hold on her affections I believe I will offer her a solution to her problem._ He thought firmly, his beast rumbling in agreement.

"Have you considered that may be a possible reason for the half-breed to keep you untrained?" He asked. He certainly wouldn't put it pass the pup to simply be using her, especially with the dead one around. Keep the miko dependent on him so she wouldn't leave and go off on her own when she got tired of putting up with him.

"That is a possibility." She said thoughtfully, especially since she wasn't sure Kikyou could actually sense shards. "That might also be why he always comes to get me from home early. He's afraid I might not come back to detect shards for him." She said with a frown.

"This one will train you and help you with your responsibility of collecting jewel shards." Sesshomaru said after a time of silence and watched the miko look up at him. "While we are traveling this one will teach you how to use a sword, and train you in hand to hand combat as well as different ways to use your powers." He elaborated, wanting the miko to understand exactly what he was offering to do.

"Before we begin traveling however, you will learn all you can from the elder priestess." He concluded.

Kagome was wide eyed as she stared at the regal demon next to her. She could hardly believe what he was offering, and she certainly wasn't about to turn him down or question it. This was her chance to get away from Inuyasha. It was, after all, difficult to get over someone when you traveled with them and she did still have some residual feelings for the dog eared boy. Not to mention she wasn't sure she could trust Sango and Miroku and didn't want to be around them right now. This was also her chance to get to know the stoic demon lord. She painfully admitted that she had allowed Inuyasha and her feelings for him to twist her opinions and view of his elder brother.

"Okay." She said with a slow nod. "I think I'll spend my nights at home for the most part since I'll be here for a while learning from Keade. My family will appreciate seeing me more, and I can catch up on my studies. Speaking of studies…" She said but stopped when Sesshomaru lifted his hand.

"I will make sure there is time for you to study. Unlike the half-breed I understand that education is important." He assured her and listened as she released a happy sigh.

"He's going to be on my case as soon as I come to talk to Keade. He always knows when I'm here, except when he's otherwise occupied." She grumbled. "I just don't want to have to deal with him at all." She added.

"That is because he can smell you and sense your aura and power. You will need to learn to mask your aura and hide your scent if you wish to avoid him. I can teach you how to do that but you must learn how to access your power. Do you know how to meditate?" He asked and saw her nod.

"Do so and practice calling your power to you. I will be gone for two or three days to retrieve something you will need." He instructed and watched her nod obediently. "Is the half-breed the only one who can get through this well?" He asked as he looked into the dark depths.

"As far as I know yes, and I have no idea why. The only other person to try was Shippo and he couldn't get through." She answered calmly. "Shippo! He can travel with us right? I can't leave him with Inuyasha."

"He is the kitsune that travels with you?" Sesshomaru inquired with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Yes." Kagome answered instantly.

"He may travel with us. He will be a good companion for Rin." He agreed before standing and watching her get to her feet as well. He was reminded in that instant how small she was. Her head only came up to his chest a little below his shoulders.

"I will try the well when I return. If you do not hear from me by the third day then come back here. I will be waiting." He instructed.

"Okay. I will." Kagome said with a nod.

"Good. Now go and find your rest miko, and do not forget to meditate and practice." He said before he began to form his youki cloud beneath his feet and took to the air.

Kagome smiled as she watched him fly away, happy that she had decided to come through the well that night. With one last look at his disappearing form she turned and jumped into the well, the soft blue light of the time slip greeting her.

****MoaM****

_So my half-brothers miko will be traveling with me._ Sesshomaru thought as he flew toward his fortress.

_**Not his miko anymore.**_ His beast reminded him.

_No. Not anymore. She is now a part of my pack._ He thought as he continued on his way.

The miko would need appropriate clothing to wear in this era and even more so if she was to travel with him. He would have no one questioning her virtue because of the clothing she wore. Never mind the fact that she smelled innocent. If he had his way in a few days only those she allowed would be able to scent her. Not to mention humans could not smell her innocence. The half-breed might not care what people said and thought about her, but he was sure that she would if she knew. It was more than likely that she didn't know or she would have changed the way she dressed. He suspected however that it wouldn't have mattered since clothing in her time seemed vastly different.

So he would fix the problem like an alpha is supposed to. He provided for Rin and now he would provide for the miko. It was no hardship and she would need proper clothing to train in as well as wear for everyday use.

As Sesshomaru flew closer and closer to his fortress he began to imagine what would look good on the miko. He thought about what he knew of her personality and what she would be comfortable in. He considered that she would be training in hand to hand combat, handling weapons, and climbing out of the well often so she would need something that would provide ease of movement while keeping her modesty.

He didn't want her wearing priestess clothing. He had not accepted her into his pack because she was a miko, and from what he had been able to garner since first encountering her she did not like the clothing anyway. No. He had a couple of ideas he was sure she would enjoy, and he would appreciate seeing on her.

It was not long before the demon lord sighted his fortress and within moments he landed in the courtyard just beyond the gates. Guards bowed and greeted him respectfully as they welcomed him home. He responded with a nod of appreciation and acknowledgement as he made his way inside. Once inside he ordered the first maid he saw to summon his seamstress to his study.

Sesshomaru was only in his study a few moments before Aya, his seamstress, arrived. He commissioned her to make a few sets of a black and blue fighting outfit. He asked for three sets of female hakama pants and short kimono, three sets of long sleeve cheongsam dresses, and a pair of black boots similar to his. He asked for extra clothing to be made that he would give to the miko when they began to travel, but made it clear that the fighting outfit should be her priority and gotten to him as soon as possible.

While waiting for the clothing he took care of some paperwork and thought of the realizations the miko revealed to him. He wondered why the humans would not teach her how to defend herself. Perhaps they worried, like the half-breed, that if she did then she would leave if she got tired of dealing with Inuyasha. If she was not there to find the shards then they would really have no way of finding Naraku, which meant they would not get their revenge and in the case of the slayer, finding her sibling.

It was a possibility. After all he was sure that even Naraku would leave off dealing with the half-breeds pack without the miko with them since she was the one collecting the jewel shards. They would simply be roaming around following rumors at the very least but nothing more. They would be no threat to the spider at all.

_Perhaps they thought it would take up too much time. Time they could be using to find shards and hunt Naraku._ He considered as he signed a document.

That was possible as well from what he knew of the half-breed. He was an impatient pup; always rushing off even when there was no destination in mind and rushing into everything.

Perhaps it was some misguided attempt to keep her in his era longer. If she was not trained to use her powers properly then the hunt for Naraku would take longer since he might keep getting away instead of being severely injured or defeated by the miko's power.

He didn't think it was that since it would go against their need for revenge against the spider half demon, but sometimes humans didn't make sense.

_Could they be keeping anything else from her besides training? Could they be keeping secrets from her, things she should know?_ He wondered thoughtfully. It wouldn't surprise him if they were.

_Perhaps I should find out._ He considered. She would be traveling with him from now on and would be a part of his pack. He didn't want any surprises coming upon them after she cut ties with the half-breeds pack.

It wasn't as if it would be difficult to attain the information without being noticed. All the members of the half-breeds pack had the tendency to talk without a care of who may be around to overhear them, and he was skilled at hiding himself in such a way that he could become invisible to all senses.

Sesshomaru spent the rest of the night and the next day dealing with his paperwork to get it out of the way and keep himself busy. It wasn't until late that evening that the clothing and boots he had asked for were brought to him. With those now in his possession he went to his armory and picked out a female practice sword for the miko, and secured a carrying bag to put it all in.

The next morning he gathered Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un, and placed the full carrying bag in one of the saddle bags before they left. When they got close to Inuyasha's forest he retrieved the bag with the boots and clothing, but decided to leave the sword in the saddle bag to give to the miko before he started her training.

The demon lord instructed his pack to stop in the clearing with the bone eating well and continued on ahead of them. On his way he discovered that the monk and slayer were going to her village, and that the half-breed was still with the dead one.

_I shall inform the miko and see what she does with the information._ He decided before considering what else he had learned.

He had caught Inuyasha's scent on the monk as well as on the slayer. He had a suspicion about why the half-breeds scent was on both humans but he would need proof before he said anything to the miko. He did not want to upset his new pack member unnecessarily if it turned out he was mistaken.


End file.
